Reversible rumble seat construction



June 12, 1934. S M. J. ROPE 1,962,528

REVERSIBLE RUMBLE SEAT CONSTRUCTIONl Filed March 25. 1932 Patented June 12, 1934 PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE RUMBLE SEAT CONSTRUCTION Melvin J. Rope, Clarinda, Iowa Application MarchV 25, 1932, Serial No. 601,117

1 Claim.

My present invention involves a reversible rumble seat construction.

It is my purpose in this invention to provide a .rumble seat construction including a lmovable deck section adapted to be adjusted to form the back of a rumble seat and to be fixed either in front of or behind the rumble seat, so that those who use the seat may face forward or rearward with relation to the car.

It is another purpose of my invention to provide in such a structure the reversible deck member in combination with a slidable seat.

Still a further purpose is to provide in such a structure suitable means for preventing the i5' entrance of dust and water at the joints between the reversible deck member and the fixed parts of the car body.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangeclaim, zu"

ment and combination of the various parts f my reversible rumble seat construction, whereby the objects contemplated `are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional View of the rear portion of a car equipped with a reversible rumble seat construction embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed, sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the fixed deck adjacent to the joint at the front part of the movable deck.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the portions of the movable deck section and fixed deck section at the side of the former.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the movable joint protecting members.

Figure 6 is a detailed, sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure l.

In the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the rear part of a car of the type having a rumble seat.

. forwardly. It has in its under portion a downwardly opening channel 14 shown for instance in Figure 2. Fixed to the floor 15 of the car is a block or the like 16. A rod 17 is extended through the block 16 and has a threaded relation thereto.

. The rod extends through the front and rear walls of the seat 13 as shown in Figure 1 and has on its ends the heads 18. By rotating a head 18 and the rod 17, the seat maybe moved rearwardly or forwardly.

I' have shown the central portion of the deck 11 in the form oi a movable deck section 19,.the under surface of which is provided with a suitable cushion 20 adapted to serve as the back of the rumble seat. At each side of the movable deck section 19 is a link 21. 'Ihe upper ends of the links 21 are connected with a transverse rod 22 rotatably extended through the reversible deck member 19. The lower ends of the links 21 are turned to form outwardly extending pintles 23 suitably journaled in the side of the car body.

These parts are all so arranged as to permit the `movable deck member to be adjusted from its position where it forms part of the deck and serves as a closure for the space 12 or to position shown in full lines in Figure 1, where it forms the back of -the seat when the seat is used for passengers who face rearwardly, or to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, where it forms again the back of the seat for passengers to face forwardly.

The movable deck section 19 is provided at its rear edge near its center from side to side with a latch 25 mounted on an upright latch controlling rod or the like 26, which is journaled in the movable deck section 19 and has above the movable deck section a handle 27. The latch 25 has a notch 28.

In the fixed deck section 11 rearwardly from the movable deck section is a recess in which is an upright pin 31 arranged to cooperate with the latch 25 as shown in Figure 6 for locking or latching the movable deck section 19 in closure position.

In order to make a joint which will be as nearly as possible dust and waterproof, I have provided adjacent the edge of the fixed deck section at the forward part of the movable deck section a member 32 shown in Figures 3 and 5, which is preferably cylindrical in form.

In the particular form here illustrated, a plate 33 is fastened to the under side of the xed deck section and the iixed deck section and plate 33 have a recess to receive the member 32. Formed between the fixed deck section 11 and the member 33 is a slot 34 through which projects a flexible strip 35 projecting from the member 32 and adapted to close the space between the iixed deck section and the movable deck section. The flexible strip 35 is preferably made of rubber.

Near the side edges of the movable disc section 19, I provide the cylindrical openings 36 extending from front to rear to receive the members 32 of the proper length. The members 32 are flexible to permit them to be inserted endwise into the openings or holes 36, even though the disc section may be curved.

The exible sheets 35 of the members 32 at the sides of the movable deck section project far enough to close the space between the movable deck section and the xed deck section at the sides, when the movable deck section is in closure position.

The fixed deck section at the sides indicated at 11a, is preferably formed with channels as at 37 to carry off any Water.

Ii the members 35 should become Worn, the members 32 and 35 may be replaced.

The inner faces of the sides of the body may be provided With guides 38 for steadying and guiding the reversible deck section 19 during its moven ment and holding it rigid when serving as a', seat back. Pins 40 project from the deck section 19 into the guide grooves 38. These grooves termi nate far enough above the floor to hold the deck section 19 up and prevent its resting on the exible strips 35.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my improved reversible rumble seat construction without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably ineluded Within its scope.

I claim as my invention:

In a structure of the kind described, the combination of a vehicle body having a floor and back, front and side Walls, with a deck, adapted to form a closure for the opening at the top of the Walls, links pivoted to the deck at its sides and to the respective side Walls of the body whereby the ends of the deck may be moved io position resting on the fioor for forming a seat back for a forwardly or rearwardly facing seat, and a seat slidable to different positions on the oor, for adjustment to form a seat, cooperating with the deck in either of the latter-described positions of the deck, the body and the deck each having separate coacting means for guiding the deck in its movement from closure position to its respective seat back forming positions.

MELVIN J. ROPE. 

